Doctoral candidate – DC9, HUMAN doctoral network, Harmonising and Unifying Blood Metabolomic Analysis Networks, Afekta & University of Eastern Finland
8.2.2023Harmonising and Unifying Blood Metabolomic Analysis Networks
Hosting Institute: Afekta in collaboration with University of Eastern Finland
Gross salary: 4,663 euros (+Family allowance if applicable)
Project description:
The PhD project will focus on assessing the impact of lifestyle intervention on blood microsampling metabolite composition when compared to conventional plasma samples. The aim is to find robust biomarker candidates that would readily reflect the metabolic effect of the intervention and the responsiveness of the individual to the lifestyle intervention. The student will work on optimizing the analytics based on the inter-laboratory comparison of the various blood microsampling home-collection devices. The samples to be collected from the lifestyle intervention will be assessed with the chosen collection method and optimized liquid chromatography mass spectrometry conditions. The impact of the lifestyle will be assessed by the non-targeted metabolite profiling approach, as well as compound-centric investigation of target metabolites that have been linked with dietary and exercise response and reflecting also the composition and function of gut microbiota.
We offer an exciting position and a chance to do research in an intersection between industry and academia. Afekta Technologies Ltd. is a science driven company established in 2017. Afekta offers metabolomics analysis services for various research purposes across life sciences. We have specialized in metabolomics analyses related to food, nutrition, and gut microbiota. Afekta has experience in being a beneficiary in several Horizon 2020 projects including a previous Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network action (MSCA-ITN-ETN-action BestTreat). To learn more about Afekta please visit www.afekta.com.
Academic studies related to the position will be done in the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), which will also award the PhD. UEF is a multidisciplinary university with a strong focus on life sciences. UEF has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff members. Office and laboratory spaces of Afekta Technologies are right next to the UEF campus in Kuopio. Finland, and Kuopio in particular, is a safe, clean and technology-driven place known for its superb education and welfare know-how. To learn more about UEF and the life in Finland visit https://www.uef.fi/en/life-in-finland.
For further information on the position, please contact CEO Dr. Olli Kärkkäinen (olli@afekta.com, +358 44 2432 322).
Key Requirements:
Applicants should have a strong scientific background in the research field of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biomedicine, Pharmacy, Toxicology, Pharmacology, or a similar field.
The prospective ideal student needs to have hands-on experience in applying liquid chromatography mass spectrometry -based methods for analysis of compounds in biological samples. Experience in mass spectrometry data analysis and in method optimization and/or data analysis are key requirements as well. Interest towards precise laboratory work and experience in metabolomics data analysis are desirable and will be favourably viewed.
The project will involve international and intersectorial secondments/visits to other project partners in the network for the doctoral candidates to learn new skills and foster collaborations.